Duque’s take

Conventional wisdom was the fifth starter job would go to Orlando Hernandez if he were healthy, but despite a strong outing in Friday’s exhibition against Baltimore and feeling good the next day, Hernandez said he wasn’t ready.

“I feel I can pitch in the major leagues, but I think it would be better if I had two or three more starts to get more comfortable with my feet,” Hernandez said. “I think this is what’s best for the team.”

GM Omar Minaya said there is no time table, but left little doubt a healthy Hernandez wouldn’t have to wait long.

Hernandez said he’s not feeling pain in his right foot with his new wind-up, but he’s not comfortable with it.

John Delcos enters his third season covering the Mets for The Journal News after eight seasons on the Yankees beat. Prior to coming to New York, John covered the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians.

I knew he would go back to his old delivery. He was throwing 80 miles an hour with it and didn’t have control. I wonder why
the mets and El Duke didn’t take action on his foot (surgery)in the off season.

Duque said the procedure he would need for his foot would take 2 years to fully recover from, hence the ‘rehabbing’ -he had a seperate surgury on a toe, but the bunion one would have ko’d him for a year or two